Holland's first-choice goalkeeper reveals he had no idea of Van Gaal’s plan to
replace him for penalty shoot-out

Tim Krul had been studying potential opposing penalty takers for seven weeks, and was earmarked for the extraordinary specialist shoot-out role by Louis van Gaal on the advice of the Dutch goalkeeping coach, Frans Hoek, who moves to Manchester United with Van Gaal after the World Cup.

Hoek is considered one of the best goalkeeping coaches in the world and is used by Uefa and Fifa for courses. He backed Krul, who came on for Jasper Cillessen, saved two penalties in the shoot-out and guided the Dutch into the semi-finals of the World Cup. “Frans Hoek told the manager my qualities and he believed in me,’’ said the Newcastle United keeper.

“The manager has obviously seen me in the last seven weeks training. We have been training seven weeks and a certain way, studying every [opposing] player. We have been working with the goalkeeper coach to come up with this plan.”

Van Gaal also knew that Krul’s record before was two saves from his last 20. Cillessen has never saved a penalty in his career, having faced 16. “In the hotel, stepping on the bus to the stadium, I was told that I could be used,’’ said Krul, speaking at Flamengo’s training ground.

“The manager and the keeper coach told me if we had a substitution left there was a possibility I would be used in the shoot-out. Frans said to me: ‘Keep it between us. Hopefully we will finish it off in 90 minutes.’ The whole game I was watching with a different view because I knew the possibility would be there.”

With a few minutes left of extra time, Van Gaal told Krul to get ready. The psychological warfare began. “When I started my warm-up the whole Costa Rican bench was confused about what was going on. Their manager [Jose Pinto’s] face when he saw me was priceless. He was looking over to see what our manager was doing. It definitely had an impact. It was a fantastic move.’’

Krul is a huge admirer of Van Gaal. “It’s an honour to have a coach like this. For a club like Manchester United to sign him shows you what the world of football thinks of him. It shows you what kind of tactical qualities he has.’’ Pulling tactical masterstrokes.

The Dutch are so intelligent. It was also a typically shrewd act by them to make available Krul and Cillessen to speak at their Flamengo base on Sunday, addressing a major talking point rather than hiding from it as the Football Association probably would. Cillessen kept looking at Krul as they sat within yards of each other, but there was no animosity, just professionalism and pleasure in reaching the last four.

Cillessen did admit his “surprise” at events as extra-time closed. “I didn’t know it would happen before, it was a bit of a surprise. I saw him warming up but I stayed focused on the game. I thought he was just doing a warm-up in case I got hit.’’

In the first minute of added time at the end of extra time, Van Gaal summoned Cillessen to the bench. “I was a bit angry,’’ the Ajax keeper said. “I wanted to play the penalty shoot-out.’’

Cillessen also spoke to the Dutch media, detailing his reaction. The Dutch media officer, behaving like a friendly but firm senior school master, made the keeper repeat this in English. “I was angry when I went out,’’ Cillessen said. “I kicked the water bottle. Bruno [Martins Indi] was feeling warm so I did it to cool him down!” Krul took his place in goal, immediately preparing for the shoot-out. “I was ready for the moment,’’ he said. Krul immediately started going up to the Costa Rican penalty-takers, speaking in Spanish, testing their mettle by saying “Vamos”. Let’s go. Give it your best shot. It was Bruce Grobbelaar meets Bruce Willis.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong,’’ Krul said. “I didn’t shout in an aggressive manner. I did nothing crazy, I told them I knew the way they were going with their penalties because I had analysed it. I was trying to get in their heads and it worked. It is a way of trying to psyche them out. They were under massive pressure. I was under massive pressure. So I did everything in my power and I am happy to do it again.’’

The referee, Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan, should have intervened with some of Krul’s unsporting theatrics. Bryan Ruiz with Costa Rica’s second kick and Michael Umana with their fateful fifth were unnerved, and Krul saved. He still had to show remarkable reflexes.

“I am over the moon I saved two penalties doing that. To save two penalties is a little boy’s dream. Against Greece the way they took the penalties was five times different than against us.” Krul was beaten by Celso Borges, Giancarlo Gonzalez and Christian Bolanos but credit needs paying to the Dutch scorers, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt, who all beat one of the keepers of the tournament, Keylor Navas.

When Krul saved from Umana, Cillessen was the first to sprint on and congratulate him. “It is a pity I wasn’t told, but it worked very well,’’ Cillessen said. “I had to accept it. I am happy with the coach and he wants me to play [against Argentina]. It worked well as he made two saves. He is the big man now. But why should it affect my confidence? It will not affect my confidence. I have make sure we do not get into penalties.”

Krul, through, acknowledged it has been “difficult” sitting on the bench, biding his time, even if he did take his chance brilliantly. “I’ve been training day in, day out here to prove myself to the manager. The manager chose Jasper. I have to keep training and am really pleased the manager showed confidence in me to put me in the quarter-final of a World Cup. It’s something to be really proud of.

“Jealousy? There’s no jealousy with Jasper. I would love to play. There’s nothing better than playing for your country. Jasper is our No 1 at the moment. It is the same for Michel Vorm. He wants to play. Me and him have to keep Jasper sharp. That’s what we’re doing. That’s why we’re in the semi-final.”

Cillessen nodded. “They keep me sharp,’’ he said before turning his thoughts to Argentina, who will be without Angel di Maria. “Di Maria is a good player but we look at the whole team, not just one player,’’ Cillessen said. “We will look at Argentina and make our plan to beat Argentina.” Krul concurred. “We will analyse every Argentina penalty, we will do that tomorrow,’’ Krul said. “Me, Jasper and Michel and the keeper coach will sit together and write up a plan.’’